September 11, 2006

Transforming Libraries & Communities

The latest issue (August 2006) of American Libraries, the monthly newsletter of the American Library Association, includes a message from new ALA President Leslie Burger.

With an eye to both libraries and the communities they support, Berger will be focusing on transformation during her year-long term as President. In her message, Berger recognizes that, “librarians and libraries have already been through a decade of great change spurred by a technological revolution that has altered the way we do business.” As a result, “we are hard at work making over our reference services, catalogs, approaches to customer service, buildings, and collections.”

But according to Burger, we’re not finished. “Now,” she says, “we must change how others see us. We have this absolutely unique moment in time to transform the way in which the world perceives us, to build on the things that we do so well, and to set the stage for the next century of library service to communities we serve.”

She concludes, “Change isn’t easy, but it is the key to our future.” I think she’s right. Libraries of all types, sizes, and locations are working to find their role in the evolving needs of their communities. As we work through our own process of transformation, it’s good to remember that we’re not in it alone.